


Star People

by Himring



Series: Angband [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angband, Children, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Motherhood, Origins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 09:38:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himring/pseuds/Himring
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short scene from the dungeons of Angband.</p><p>No actual gore, but Angband is Angband...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Star People

 

In the depths of Angband, a mother is trying to soothe her screaming children.

They have claws, these children. They have pointed teeth. Their voices would grate on the ear even if they were not screaming their heads off, as they are now. They are more orc-like than her, just as she is more orc-like than her parents were.

In the depths of Angband, a long struggle is gradually being lost, but children still need to be lulled to sleep. The dark that she no longer remembers is dark, the pain that she no longer remembers is pain—they weigh on her mind. But, with difficulty, she remembers the word.

‘ _El_ ’, she croons. And repeats:  ‘ _El...el...el..._ ’

She’s never seen a star. Her children never will. But the savage little creatures curl up and go to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> This is how I remember it: "El" is the first word the first Elves said. In primitive Elvish, it meant "star", in later Elvish it is a base rather than itself a word and from that base both the words meaning "star" and "elf" are derived. Initially, all elves were "star people", not only those that undertook the journey to Aman.
> 
> (Posted to SWG on October 31, 2010)


End file.
